Fateful Choices
by JackiLeigh
Summary: A sort of tag to 'Front Man,' episode 1.13.' What would have happened of Neal had been injured? Contains Neal whumpage.


Fateful Choices

**AN: Agent Kimberly Rice's comment in Season 1,Episode 14 "Front Man," always bothered me, calling Neal 'a tool in her belt.' Her callous disregard was so reckless. I wish we could have really seen what White Collar would have done to her if Neal had really gotten injured in the case she was working on. I would have loved to see Peter's and Hughes' reaction. So I guess I'll just have to write my own scenario. I have used a scene or two from the episode and changed the dialogue, just to suit my story. **

**Contains Neal whumpage because, well…why not? Also, contains a curse word or two. **

**Thank you, Guest. The kidnapper's name is Ryan Wilkes. ( I had originally made up a name. I have since changed it to the correct name. ) I am leaving Diana in this one because I don't think Cruz would act the same way Diana did in this story. So, this is really AU. **

**Also, my beta is still enjoying her summer, so if you see any mistakes... Thanks for reading. **

Neal was sitting in the car, again. He understood interdepartmental relations and sharing resources and all that crap. He just hated that he was considered to be one of the resources. And where did Rice get off calling him a 'tool in her belt?'" Was she Wonder Women and he her magic lasso?" Neal smiled and shook his head wondering how she would look in the outfit. He shook his head again. "…got to concentrate on something else." He said out loud, not really meaning to.

Neal heard a peck on his window, and he startled and jumped. When he saw that it was Peter, he rolled the window down.

"Why are you out here?" Peter asked.

"I have performed my function." Neal paused. "She thinks of me as a 'tool in her belt.'"

Peter looked at him for a moment. "What?"

Neal nodded, indicating that Peter had heard him correctly.

"Who does she think she is…a super hero?" Peter replied, shaking his head.

"I'm picturing Wonder Woman." Neal added.

Peter looked at the building she was in. "A tool in her belt, huh?" He said, turning back.

Neal shook his head. "Don't worry about it. Just a few more days of this and I'm back in White Collar." He paused and looked at Peter. "I had no idea you missed me so much."

Peter looked at Neal and smirked. "Yeah, Neal…sure."

"Aww, you missed me." Neal replied, grinning. "Why else would you come here?"

"To check up on you, and to make sure you aren't doing something stupid." Peter said, looking around watching for Rice. "…two very valid reasons."

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"How long have you been an FBI agent that you don't know we resolve hostage situations, not create them?" Peter asked, fuming that Rice had allowed Neal to be exchanged for information.

"He's just a…." Rice started.

"I swear if you say he's just an informant I'll…." Peter threatened.

"You won't hit a woman." Rice said, smugly.

"No." Diana replied. "He won't. But I would!" She moved closer to Rice in an effort to intimidate her. "Neal Caffrey is not a tool. He is a human being. And if anything's happened to him, I will make it my personal mission to see to it that you're busted down to meter maid." She hissed.

Rice stepped back. "She can't…."

"I'll back her play…" Peter said, leaning in. "…and so will Hughes."

"He's just a…." Rice started to say. She stopped when she saw Diana glare at her.

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Suddenly Neal was aware. He kept his eyes closed, trying to figure out where he was. He listened for a few moments, but nothing sounded familiar. He then opened his eyes.

Neal tried to sit up and immediately realized his mistake. He gasped from the intense pain radiating from his chest. He hit his lip to keep from screaming and fought the urge to pass out. He wrapped his arms, protectively, around his chest.

"Well, pretty boy is awake." Neal's captor stated.

Neal winced as he continued to try to sit up.

"I'm hoping you will be a little more cooperative now, Caffrey." Ryan Wilkes said. "You're seen that I really do mean business." He said, pacing back and forth. "I thought that the government would value their C.I.s more than to use them as bait." He smirked. "And you thought you were making a deal."

Neal wanted to say something. He wanted to be a wise guy, but he knew that if he did…it would cost him too much. So he stayed, uncharacteristically, silent. Plus he knew Ryan. He knew Ryan could be pretty brutal when he didn't get his way. He also knew that he had been ruining Wilkes's business. It had not been on purpose, of course, but the results had been the same. And Wilkes wanted Neal to understand that. So, even if they Peter did get the girl back. He would most likely lose his C.I. in the process. Neal groaned at the prospect.

"What, no running commentary?" Wilkes said, still pacing. "I finally found a way to shut you up. I'll have to remember this…for next time."

"…won't be a…next time." Neal huffed out through pained breaths."…the…girl…?"

"I don't know, Neal. The way that female agent acted. She was eager to give you up, would have sold you to the highest bidder if she could have." The captor stopped pacing and looked at Neal. "That is why you can't trust the feds, Neal. There's always a hidden agenda. They tell you one thing, and they do something else." He paused. "At least people know who and what we are, Neal. We're criminals, take us or leave us." He spread his arms out wide. "But feds…" He shook his head. "…ya just can't trust them. And that precious little girl is locked away, safe and sound, Caffrey, no need to worry about her."

Neal didn't speak this time. His chest was just hurting far too much. He closed his eyes and tears escaped out of the corners. He groaned softly.

Wilkes smiled. "I think it's time for round two." He said as two large menacing-looking men walked into the room. "You owe me, Neal. I figure I'll never see the money from that painting we were supposed to split. But actually this is more satisfying, on many levels."

Just then one of the thugs stepped up and punched Neal in the face. Wilkes stood and smiled sadistically. "This is going to be fun."

Neal's captor let his two thugs loose.

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"Nobody has anything?" Peter implored of the White Collar agent. "Nothing…nothing at all? Not a nibble…a bread crumb even?"

The agents were silent, giving him his answer. He groaned and ran his fingers through his hair, again.

Agent Rice opened her mouth to speak.

Peter glared. "If it's not helpful or productive, keep it to yourself.

"I just…maybe we're looking at this the wrong way." Rice offered.

Peter glared at her. "The guy who has Neal wants him dead…wouldn't think twice about killing him. How can I look at that the right way? How can you…a supposedly competent agent…lose a person?" Peter asked sarcastically. He knew he was pushing his professional borders. But at this point, he didn't care.

"How dare you?" Rice stood, and glared back.

"I've been an agent for a long time, Agent Rice." Peter snapped. "I've lost care keys! I've lost files. Hell, I even lost my car in an airport parking lot, once! But…to date I've never lost A PERSON!"

"It was an exchange." Rice replied.

"An exchange…" Peter said, appearing to ponder the meaning of the word. And trying to calm himself. "…yes, I'm familiar with the word, Agent Rice. But you see, I made an exchange a few years ago. I gave a brilliant young man an opportunity to get out of prison. I gave him the opportunity to live a life. All he had to do was help me solve a few cases. That's an exchange, Agent Rice." He paused, trying to calm himself. "What you gave Neal was a death sentence!" He growled.

Agent Rice was astounded. She had never been spoken to in that manner before. And while she knew she deserved some of it. She was not going to take the fall for the whole thing.

"I didn't…." Rice started.

"You didn't what, Agent Rice?" Peter said. "You didn't think about what could have happened to Neal? Or you didn't care?"

Reese Hughes needed to put a stop to this. In all honesty, it shouldn't have gotten this far. But he had let his anger get the better of him, too. He liked Neal, really liked the kid. And the thought of him being hurt, maybe killed because of one arrogant agent…. Well, he was enjoying Agent Burke's treatment of this agent…way, way too much.

"Peter…." Hughes started, taking Peter's attention away from Rice.

Peter looked at Hughes, but he wasn't ready to end the fight, realizing that, Hughes turned to Agent Rice. He instructed her to leave the room.

"Peter, you've…." Hughes started shaking his head.

"I'm not apologizing to the witch, Reese." Peter snapped. "And if I hear the words 'tool' or 'belt' come out of her mouth again I'm gonna let Diana kick her ass."

Hughes knew that Agent Burke was deadly serious. But he couldn't hide his smile.

Peter caught it and from the look on his face, Hughes knew it.

"Okay, so she flew in here on her broom this mornin. We can't have…."

Peter nodded.

"…interdivisional, departmental, bureaucratic B.S. I know, Burke. But we are the federal government. We run on that crap." Hughes stated, candidly.

"Just let me lock her in a stairwell with Diana for like…5 minutes." Peter said. He was kidding, but only partially.

Hughes smiled. He knew, they both did, how much Diana had come to like Neal. And it hurt her, too, to think anybody would use him, like that, to get what they wanted.

Peter sighed and shook his head. "Neal is…."

Hughes looked at him. "I know, Peter. I know. We'll find him. He's gonna…we'll find him."

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Neal was barely conscious. He was not sure why he was not being tortured right then, actually. He didn't know if they were just taking a break, if they had abandoned him, or if they had been scared off. He strained in the near darkness of the room he was in to hear anything. He groaned as he tested his bonds. His ribs protested his every movement and the ropes tying him seemed to be very secure.

Neal's captor, unfortunately for Neal, had returned. He and his cronies had gone out for breakfast. They stood, very cruelly, eating and drinking in front of him. Neal had not had food or water in a couple of days. His lips were chapped and bleeding, and his stomach growled.

"Oh, sorry Neal." Wilkes said. He was very aware of what he was doing and was taking great joy in watching Neal suffer.

Neal shook his head. He opened his mouth to speak, first licking his lips.

"Bastard…three against one…." He said, straining to speak above a whisper. "You…." He glared.

Wilkes balled up his fist and punched Neal in the face. He then got in Neal's face. "You are very lucky to still be alive, so watch your mouth. Secondly, you owe me. And, we all know, dead men can't pay their debts. And lastly, you've been responsible for killing a lot of deals for me lately, Neal. You're putting my business in danger. I keep make deals and then you end up getting those people caught by the Feds. That has got to stop or my business dies."

"Not…my…problem." Neal said through his pain.

"Well…I'm making it your problem." Neal's captor stated. He grinned then, stepped back. "Go ahead, Boys. I think Mr. Caffrey's ready for more."

Neal's head fell to his chest seconds before the sound of sirens rang through the air.

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Peter had finally gotten a lead. The streets were talking again. The agents had a location for Ryan Wilkes. They all headed out of the building.

"Rice." Hughes called to her, stopping her as everyone else started to leave. "Rice…for your sake, and I mean this is all sincerity, Neal Caffrey had better be alive when we find him. Because, if he's not…." Hughes shook his head.

Agent Rice just looked at Agent Hughes, very unsure how to take what he had just told her. She hurried to catch up with the others.

The car pulled up in front of the building Neal was supposed to be in about 10 minutes later. The agents all spread out to prevent a surprise attack. They started a methodic search, room by room. They found no one except a very badly beaten C.I., his head resting on his chest and tied to a chair.

Peter took a deep breath and knelt down in front of Neal. Peter gently touched Neal's shoulder. When he got no response he moved his hand to Neal's face. He lifted his chin and surveyed the damage.

Peter stood up slowly, glaring at Agent Rice as he did so.

Agent Rice opened her mouth to speak.

"Don't you dare speak to me!" Peter hissed. "Don't say a word! Not after this, not after what you did!" Peter continued reading her thoughts. "That's right, Agent Rice, after your superiors hear about your…conduct here today…." He purposefully didn't complete his sentence. Let her think about things for a while.

"He's alive." Rice mumbled.

"WHAT!" Peter replied. "He's alive…" Peter started to pace to control his anger. He looked at the other White Collar agents. "Did she just say that? Did she actually just say that?" Peter asked. The agents didn't speak, but Peter knew the answer. "I…oh my god, you didn't actually just say that 'he's alive,' did you?"

Peter glared at her, both demanding an answer, but daring her to speak. "Get out of my sight! Go! NOW!" He said, dismissing her.

"You can't!" Rice shook her head.

"I can ask you to leave, I'm the head agent!" Peter reminded her. "I shouldn't say this, but I'm going to. Get on your broom and fly away, Witch."

Peter then turned his attention back to Neal.

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"Really? …the witch, broom and everything?" Neal asked, chuckling.

Peter nodded. "Reese would have just given me a verbal reprimand. That would have been it. But she went over his head, Hughes told her the day we found you that you had better be alive…or else?"

"Hughes?" Neal asked, he had not even thought the man even noticed him, too much.

"I don't know his exact words, but Rice surely got that impression." Peter replied.

"So, he…?" Neal said, getting the conversation back on track.

"Yeah, right…she talked to Hughes' boss. So, as a result I have to spend two Saturdays a month for the next three months in 'sensitivity' training. Plus, I have to go on some partnership/trust building weekend retreat in Jersey next weekend." Peter stated.

"What about her?" Neal asked.

"Oh, that's the best part…suspension, without pay, pending a review." Peter said.

Neal looked at him confused. "What does that mean?"

Peter sighed. "It could be bad. They can go back…years and check out arrests…everything. She will be demoted, for sure. She…." Peter shook his head. "…there's so much that could and should happen to her."

"And...Diana threatened her?" Neal marveled.

Peter explained. Then he added, as he grinned at Neal. "I asked Hughes to let me lock her and Diana in a stairwell for like…5 minutes."

Neal laughed at that one, even though it made his chest hurt. He looked at Peter. "You really do need better 'people skills' Peter." Neal grinned. "You aren't the easiest person to talk to…you know." The nurses had given Neal a teddy bear to hug when he needed to cough. It was to ease the pain of his broken ribs. He took the bear by the arm and handed it to Peter. "Here, Theodore could use a hug."

"Shut up, Caffrey." Peter replied.

THE END

**FYI: Wilkes didn't get caught here. I just wanted to concentrate on the White Collar agents' roles with this story.**


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